Tuesday January 23, 1979

No snow today, but we all expect something. Sarah was a cow all day and went out of her way to be tiresome. Kathleen too, is quite insane. Eileen was the only civil person on board today.

Home with Marita this evening. She talked of how bored they were at New Year & I had to remind her that it is her 24th birthday next week. I enjoy doing this, because I know she hates growing older and to be reminded of such anniversaries. It's about time MM pulled his finger out and made a honest woman of her. I do suppose he's waiting until he's chairman of ICI before making the purchase of the ring.

The poor Shah of Iran is now in Morocco & that nauseating geriatric, the Ayatollah Khomeini is fuelling up in readiness for his departure to Teheran next week.. Yet another throne falls to the chant of revolution. The Shah and his Empress are good friends of our Royal Family.

Anna Massey as Mrs Danvers in Rebecca...

Mum phoned Auntie Mabel tonight & I said I will go over and see her tomorrow for tea and then watch Daphne Du Maurier's  'Rebecca'  ~ serialised on TV. She invited me to stay the night and suggests I can go to work on Thursday morning from Pudsey. Auntie hasn't been out of her garden gate for a week because of the snow. She must get very lonely living alone. Besides, I do enjoy her company. She will be 60 in March. Marlene is going to throw a party, and the arrangements are all very hush hush.

Peter came up here at 7:30 and we sat playing cards around the dining room table. Quite fanatics we are becoming. Television must have destroyed social & family life altogether.

I pack a few belongings for tomorrow and retired at 12:50am.

-=-

Tuesday January 16, 1979

Snow goes but we expect more very shortly.

The poor Shah of Iran flew out of Teheran today and the BBC, for one, don't give him a cat in Hell's chance of ever returning. The Shah himself says he's going for a holiday but few people seem to think he will ever set foot in his homeland again. And so, yet another throne has bitten the dust.

The remaining monarchies of the world should form a union. (How about the International Federation of Monarchs, Crowned Heads and Allied Dictators?) When one is in difficulties, like the poor Shah, the others could come out in sympathy and withhold labour until that persecuted monarch is reinstated. Just imagine, hospitals would go unopened, red carpets wouldn't be trodden on, palace balconies would stand empty, &c. The flying pickets could use the Queen's Flight aircraft.



I am very sorry to see that the Shah of Iran has been eliminated. The collapse of any monarchy, no matter how dictatorial, is the worst possible step taken by any nation. I am sure that the stupid, fanatic Iranians will one day regret it.

I've gone and lost the diamond from the ring which Carole bought me at Christmas 1975. It probably went at Lynn's on Saturday or Sunday.

Lynn and Dave came up to Pine Tops tonight. Lynn has had a couple of days off with her 'funny tummy'. She did look pale and ghastly. So did David. I'm sure he works too hard. He phoned Jacq today because she's going to Burley for tea tomorrow. No doubt a Beasley's sherry night will follow.

Peter N came up at 8 and we played cards (all except Dad). Hit the sheets at 1:02am.

-=-

Friday September 14, 1973

Awake at 7.30. Everyone leaves at 9.0 either for work or school. Uncle H going back to Wakefield.

I sit preparing my monarchy discussion until 11.30. Get the bus to school arriving at 12. I argue with Stott about funerals and the whole subject of people dying - he really is an uncultured brat.

Later: Christine and I hold our 6th form debate on the monarchy. Everyone dissolves when I say that the monarchy is good value for money compared with, say, the advertising for Kraft cheese slices - on which £7m per annum is spent. We cannot look at the monarchy is terms of tax payers money.

Later: John and I go to Chris's again. Find Andy preparing Chris's evening meal. Evidently, poor Chris is going on a pub crawl from work so before he even joins us he'll be stoned out of his tiny mind.

Another drunken escapade follows in the Fleece and we arrive back at Chris's house at 10.30 - after buying about 20 pints of beer at an off-licence. Very much like last Friday but minus Christine and Philip. Andy and I get awfully pissed and we both go buy some cigs at the machine outside Grandways at 4.30am. Whilst leaping over the large concrete plantpots Andy falls and hurts his ankle. I carry him back to Chris's - against his will. Chris and I bandage him up and then Chris makes John and I eggs and chips. Fall to sleep soundly until the following morning. Dave, the lucky blighter, was in a warm bed. I had the floor.

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